Today's Sports

With both men’s and women’s teams hovering around the .500 mark, battling for winning records and vying for a place in the postseason, New Mexico Highlands women’s head basketball coach Tiffany Darling is calling out for fan support.

Darling is inviting area fans to pack the Wilson Complex for this weekend’s homestand with Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents Colorado State-Pueblo and Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Any of those athletes could be the defining face of the U.S. Olympic team in the run-up to the London Games. So far, though, none stands alone as “The One To Watch” — at least not according to people who make a living out of watching the Olympics.

Six New Mexico Highlands University basketball players have excelled in the classroom as well as the hardwood and are being recognized by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Two of them — Cowgirl guards Whitley Coca and Alyssa Lopez — were the front-of-the-class leaders, earning selection to the 2011-12 RMAC All-Academic Second Team. Notably, both Coca and Lopez have also been key players for the Cowgirls in a 9-8 start to the season.

Tre Humphrey (125 lbs.) earned two wins over the weekend to highlight the New Mexico Highlands wrestling team’s trek across southern Colorado.

Highlands lost three duals — the first a 27-10 defeat Friday at league rival Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, Colo., then two losses at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. The Air Force varsity pitched a shutout of 44-0, and the USAFA’s Silver (junior varsity) lineup prevailed in a 34-10 team score.

Sixteen high school wrestling teams from around the state are expected to take part in this weekend’s Cardinal Classic at Mike Marr Gym.

The wrestling begins around 11 a.m. Friday, runs through the evening and resumes at 9 Saturday morning. Friday’s action will have a round-robin pool format including four pools. Top two from each pool will then wrestle in the Gold division; third and fourth place finishers in the Silver; and the others in the Bronze. Bracket play is Saturday.